Hull School of Art
Encyclopedia
The Hull School of Art was founded in 1861 by a group of 'working men' as a response to a British government circular
. The circular was issued by the British Government's Department of Science and Art
. It urged local authorities and manufacturers throughout the country to take steps in order to improve the quality of British product design, which was considered to be under serious threat from the success of European imports.
In the beginning, classes were given in a suite of upstairs chambers at the Public Assembly Rooms (now the New Theatre). In 1878 the School of Art had moved to a Georgian town house on Albion Street. Later, in 1901, an Anlaby Road site was acquired from the North Eastern Railway Company, and an architectural competition advertised. The winning design for a new Hull Municipal School of Art was produced by the Bloomsbury firm of Lanchester, Stewart and Rickards and completion was announced in April 1905.
The quality of the building's design was widely applauded at the time. The Architectural Review describing it as expressing: '...the purpose for which it is built..." and presenting "....a quiet and dignified appearance...". The Board of Education congratulated the Council on: "...now possessing a School of Art in every way worthy of the City."
In 1930 the school at Anlaby Road became known as the Hull College of Arts and Crafts. In 1962, it was re-named the Regional College of Art and Design, and it began to offer a syllabus leading to the newly recognised Diploma in Art and Design (DipAD). In 1972 a new Art College building on Queens Gardens
was commissioned, designed by the Architectural Partnership of Frederick Gibberd
. This building received its first students in September 1974.
This was also the year in which honours degrees were offered in the subjects of Fine Art and Graphic Design for the first time. The amalgamation of the local authority's Higher Education provision commenced in 1976 with the foundation of Hull College of Higher Education. Polytechnic status was achieved in 1991, shortly before national legislation allowed for the formation of the new universities.
This institution, Humberside Polytechnic (later renamed to the University of Humberside), entered into an alliance with other higher educational institutions in Lincoln. The resulting University of Lincolnshire and Humberside came into being in 1996. The institution underwent another name change in 2001, when it became The University of Lincoln.
In 2002, senior management within The University of Lincoln decided to close down the BA Fine Art degree, whose painting studios were housed within the Anlaby Road building. It eventually became apparent that it had long ago been decided to move the university's centre of operations away from the city of Hull to Lincoln.
In 2006, the Anlaby Road Art School Building, long time home of art education in Hull, entered an exciting new stage in its long and illustrious history, having expanded to incorporate a range of successful Performing Arts and Media courses to join its growing Art and Design portfolio, creating an institution offering an expanded and developing range of Higher Education programmes.
Government circular
A Government circular is a written statement of government policy. It will often provide information, guidance, rules, and/or background information on legislative or procedural matters.-References:*...
. The circular was issued by the British Government's Department of Science and Art
Science and Art Department
The Science and Art Department was a British government body which functioned from 1853 to 1899, promoting education in art, science, technology and design in Britain and Ireland....
. It urged local authorities and manufacturers throughout the country to take steps in order to improve the quality of British product design, which was considered to be under serious threat from the success of European imports.
In the beginning, classes were given in a suite of upstairs chambers at the Public Assembly Rooms (now the New Theatre). In 1878 the School of Art had moved to a Georgian town house on Albion Street. Later, in 1901, an Anlaby Road site was acquired from the North Eastern Railway Company, and an architectural competition advertised. The winning design for a new Hull Municipal School of Art was produced by the Bloomsbury firm of Lanchester, Stewart and Rickards and completion was announced in April 1905.
The quality of the building's design was widely applauded at the time. The Architectural Review describing it as expressing: '...the purpose for which it is built..." and presenting "....a quiet and dignified appearance...". The Board of Education congratulated the Council on: "...now possessing a School of Art in every way worthy of the City."
In 1930 the school at Anlaby Road became known as the Hull College of Arts and Crafts. In 1962, it was re-named the Regional College of Art and Design, and it began to offer a syllabus leading to the newly recognised Diploma in Art and Design (DipAD). In 1972 a new Art College building on Queens Gardens
Queen's Gardens, Hull
Queen's Gardens is a sequence of gardens in the centre of Kingston upon Hull, England. They are set out within a area that until 1930 was filled with the waters of Queen's Dock...
was commissioned, designed by the Architectural Partnership of Frederick Gibberd
Frederick Gibberd
Sir Frederick Ernest Gibberd was an English architect and landscape designer.Gibberd was born in Coventry, the eldest of the five children of a local tailor, and was educated at the city's King Henry VIII School...
. This building received its first students in September 1974.
This was also the year in which honours degrees were offered in the subjects of Fine Art and Graphic Design for the first time. The amalgamation of the local authority's Higher Education provision commenced in 1976 with the foundation of Hull College of Higher Education. Polytechnic status was achieved in 1991, shortly before national legislation allowed for the formation of the new universities.
This institution, Humberside Polytechnic (later renamed to the University of Humberside), entered into an alliance with other higher educational institutions in Lincoln. The resulting University of Lincolnshire and Humberside came into being in 1996. The institution underwent another name change in 2001, when it became The University of Lincoln.
In 2002, senior management within The University of Lincoln decided to close down the BA Fine Art degree, whose painting studios were housed within the Anlaby Road building. It eventually became apparent that it had long ago been decided to move the university's centre of operations away from the city of Hull to Lincoln.
In 2006, the Anlaby Road Art School Building, long time home of art education in Hull, entered an exciting new stage in its long and illustrious history, having expanded to incorporate a range of successful Performing Arts and Media courses to join its growing Art and Design portfolio, creating an institution offering an expanded and developing range of Higher Education programmes.